Research


Administrative History

Laws of 1929, Chapter 673 established a temporary commission to examine the operation and effectiveness of the State's public service commission law and to propose legislation aimed at remedying any deficiencies. The commission consisted of the temporary president of the State Senate and two members of his choosing; the speaker of the State Assembly and two members of his choosing; and three additional members appointed by the governor. Enabling legislation directed the commission to make a report of its proceedings, together with its recommendations to the State Legislature by March 1, 1930. The Commission held forty-three days of public hearings and presented seventeen recommendations to the State Legislature. Recommendations addressed such topics as public utility valuation; state regulatory authority; reparation payments in response to unreasonable or unjust utility rates; interstate cooperation and compacts; powers of state courts in rate cases; creation of a division of rural electrification within the Public Service Commission; and creation of a peoples counsel in the Department of Law to represent the people in Public Service Commission and court proceedings.